Onward and Upward! How to live an uncommon life.

A Breath of Fresh Air

A friend and I were walking around Mackinac Island in northern Michigan yesterday morning and we both noticed something worth repeating. The island, if you’ve never been, is free of motor vehicles. To move about the island you have three choices: (1) walk, (2) bicycle and (3) horse drawn carriage. It is a piece of heaven, geographically speaking, that is populated mostly by tourists in the summer months.

As we walked along the many roads that weave their way through the island we noticed that the people who were on bicycle or on foot all said hello with a smile, while none in the carriages smiled or said hello. How interesting! There is something to be said for participating in regular physical work and or exercise. According to this set of observations, one hundred percent of the people on foot or on bikes looked, sounded and seemed happier than those who travelled more lazily.

There is so much to be done, physically-speaking, and the idea that you have to purchase a special outfit to work on specialized equipment to get exercise is a limited view at best. There is so much that you can do to stay active, no matter what your age or physical disposition. One of the first challenges to overcome when embarking on a new regimen of activity is that of feeling that you must have everything just right to begin. If you wait for that moment, you will never begin. Start where you are.

If you will allow me a broad generalization, I was thinking about music the other day and it seems to me that much of the music generated in the 50s, 60s and 70s is feel-good, good for outdoor enjoyment type. The 80s represented something of a transition while the 90s turned inward. The music of the 90s and of the next decade is music largely to be enjoyed indoors, in a closed room, by a person encased with headphones. American society, for reasons of security perhaps, is in many ways trending toward isolationism versus inclusiveness. Why is that? Is it healthy?

Good health depends in part on maintaining a vigorous lifestyle. The mechanization of transportation has had an enormous impact on the activity levels of most people in our great nation and it can be difficult to get enough exercise as a result. Statistics show the devastating impact of this lack of activity, especially when coupled with a diet that can be best described as over-consumptive malnutrition.

What can you do to reverse that trend? As I mentioned above, everyone, no matter what your age, physical disposition or present level of exercise, has the opportunity to improve. Our country, to be vital well into the next century, must be composed of citizens who are healthy, vigorous and motivated to continual improvement. While both carrots and sticks may be necessary to get people started, they are not sufficient. The drive must be kindled within the individual.

Health begets health. The tide must be turned and we cannot afford to wait for another generation to make the changes necessary in this critical area of individual and collective function.

7 Responses

True indeed, in light of the forecast that the generation of today will be the first to have less lifespan than the preceding generation. Life is about progress, so let health beget health now! Wonderful insights here Gregg – kee up the good work!

In light of yesterday’s post, it sounds like we’ve been taking a Rube Goldberg Machine approach to exercise as well. Over complication can easily lead to abandonment of the endeavor. There is a starting point for each one this side of the over complication. Sometimes an experience of forced simplicity, like the one you described, is what it takes to get people back on that side of complexity where they realize they don’t necessarily need the gadgets or the gym memberships, for example. They just need the open air, the open road (or the stairs instead of the elevator, or the parking space a little farther out…) and the internal drive to make the best choices throughout the day to take advantage of what really is available of healthy living right now.

A quote attributed to Albert Einstein: “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” I think this is brilliant because it is adaptable to the times. As you mentioned yesterday, no need for us to become Luddites and protest modern inventions. But it is true as we scale back on certain complexities it will encourage us to seek a more healthy and inclusive lifestyle. One example of making something simpler to the benefit of our health is to switch from foods with a long unpronounceable list of processed ingredients to fresh foods or foods with a much shorter list of natural ingredients we actually recognize. That alone would be a breath of fresh air to our systems.

Perfect timing as usual!
This past couple of days I have been assisting my friend with his new, “Mobile Billboard” called ROLLER-AD, which is Billboards pulled around local events via-mountain-bike; as well as Rollerbladers with Advertisement billboards strapped to their backs.
Helping with this venture has revitalized me, and the additional activity has most certainly been refreshing! Engaging in outdoor activities is something I look forward to continuing, especially in these summer months, and helping a friend in the process is most certainly rewarding in itself!
Not to mention the smiles on everyone’s faces we pass by!
Thanks Gregg!

Definitely there is something about getting the blood pumping and being ‘grounded’ – that is, walking or biking – that puts you in touch with everything around you. A great way to connect with the world around you. Your post comes at a good time when we can still make the most of the season and be extra mindful to take advantage of good weather, get some exercise and fresh air, and spread some cheer to our neighbors!